Politics & Government

Where Mayoral Candidates Stand on Jobs and the Economy

Published

March 4, 2013

We present the following guide to show where three front-running mayoral candidates stand on issues affecting jobs and the local economy. Except as noted, all quotes are drawn from our interviews with the candidates. (Jan Perry did not respond to interview requests.) Please note that Frying Pan News does not endorse candidates.

Issue	Eric Garcetti	Wendy Greuel	Kevin James

Quality Jobs	Most important.	Most important.	Jobs are extremely important but depend on a revitalized business sector.
Quote	“The first thing on my agenda is putting this city back to work, making City Hall work for everybody but then also getting jobs back here — good, middle-class, decent-paying jobs with benefits.”	“I will be the jobs tsar. I will be the person in the city that is going to go out and talk to businesses and encourage them to move to the city of Los Angeles and to grow.”	“We have a shockingly high unemployment rate – it’s 50 percent higher than the national average. I have proposed the elimination of the gross receipts tax – we have to bring back private business into Los Angeles.”

City Employee Health Care & Pensions	Can’t rule out more cutting but should consider barring cuts for lower-income workers.	Tough times demand shared sacrifices but labor hasn’t gotten the government partnership it has sought.	City workers got raises unjustified by the poor economy.
Quote	“We have incredibly hard-working people who provide extraordinary services… Those who are at the lower end of the spectrum have made immense sacrifices to get us through this recession. Maybe they won’t have to pay more because those are the ones struggling just to get by now.”	“The cycle of crises and layoffs and furloughs is not a way to run a government. I think too many people have demonized city workers yet so many are doing great jobs. I’m against pulling people down – instead of building them up and supporting them.”	“I would seek a temporary revision of the city raises that have been provided to our city employees to invest back with their employer, so their employer can stay healthy. I’m not going to provide any raises to our city employees for any reason when the city is in deficit.”

Clean Truck Program at Port	Supports program.	Supports program.	Supports program’s environmental goals but not its worker provisions.
Quote	“Having clean trucks at the harbor and, also, the opportunity for us to get more on-dock rail are two ways for us to clean up the community and at the same time make sure we can have a vibrant port.”	“The Port of Los Angeles is one of City’s most important engines of economic growth, and I believe we must keep the port competitive and sustainable in a dense urban environment like Los Angeles. In this regard, Los Angeles’ Clean Trucks Program has been a phenomenal success.” [Campaign quote.]	“My concern is that we are chasing away independent truckers and companies. Let’s make it easier for them to comply with the emissions requirements that we have.”

Waste	Supports exclusive-franchise system.	Supports exclusive-franchise system.	Opposes exclusive-franchise system.
Quote	“I’ve been working on an exclusive franchise system and getting more people to recycle, getting more people engaged in good standards for the industry and also making sure there are good environmental standards.”	“I’ve been a supporter of the franchise concept – looking particularly at it as an environmental issue. It’s [also] a traffic issue.”	“It’s bad for small businesses, commercial buildings and tenants.”

Grocery Development	Supports community voice in store approvals.	Supports community voice in store approvals.	Supports community voice in store approvals.
Quote	“I am very interested in looking at those sites — whether it’s a Walmart that wants to come in, whether it be a future Fresh & Easy — pay a decent wage, come in and do well for the community.”	“We [must] look at what communities and neighborhoods want – and that there are laws protecting our neighborhoods and communities. And ensure that businesses that are moving into L.A. treat their employees fairly.”	“We need jobs and there are communities that need low-cost, budget items. I’m not going to turn away 99 Cents [Only] Stores, Walmarts or Targets just because they’re unpopular with some – I’m going to let the community make that decision.”

Walmart in Chinatown	Opposed Walmart’s entry.	Opposed Walmart’s entry.	Supports Walmart’s entry.
Quote	“I’ve clearly been on the side of what we can do to empower the Chinatown community to be able to say no.”	“I wasn’t on the City Council when they were looking at an interim control ordinance [but] I’ve stood with labor leaders on the issue of Walmart in Chinatown.	“I’ve supported Walmart going into Chinatown – it’s a neighborhood market, not a big-box superstore, and the community wanted it. I’m not going to turn away any private employer who wants to come to the City of Los Angeles.”

City’s Biggest Problem	Economic inequality.	Rebuilding the middle class.	Making L.A. business friendly
Quote	“That we will have those who will do well no matter how bad things get – the highly educated, the better paid – and then those who are too poor to leave Los Angeles, with very few in between.”	“As we try to bring back the middle class, as we try to address the issues of poverty and hunger in Los Angeles, it gets down to creating an environment where people can work at family-wage jobs.”	“Businesses don’t feel welcome if they’re dealing with the City Council as a whole and they certainly don’t feel welcome if they’re dealing with the Housing Department or the Building and Safety Department.”